On this day in movie history - Hard Times (1975)

Hard Times

a.k.a. The Streetfighter

directed by Walter Hill,

written by Walter Hill, Bryan Gindoff and Bruce Henstell,

based on a story by Bryan Gindoff and Bruce Henstell,

was released in France on August 13, 1975.

Music by Barry De Vorzon.

Cast:

Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Jill Ireland, Strother Martin, Margaret Blye, Michael McGuire, Felice Orlandi, Edward Walsh, Bruce Glover, Robert Tessier, Nick Dimitri, Frank McRae, Maurice Kowalewski, Naomi Stevens, Lyla Hay Owen, John Creamer, Robert Castleberry, Becky Allen, Joan Kleven, Anne Welsch, Fred Lerner, Jimmy Nickerson, Chuck Hicks, Walter Scott, Max Kleven, Valerian Smith, Bob Minor, Larry Martindale, Charles W. Schaefer Jr., Leslie Bonano, Ronnie Philips, Greater Liberty Baptist Church Choir and Congregation, Ron Centanni, M.C. Gainey, Brion James, Laura Misch Owens.

On this day in movie and book history - The Driver (1978)

The Driver

directed and written by Walter Hill,

was released in the United States on July 28, 1978.

Music by Dominic Frontiere.

Cast:

Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani, Ronee Blakley, Matt Clark, Felice Orlandi, Joseph Walsh, Rudy Ramos, Denny Macko, Frank Bruno, Will Walker, Sandy Brown Wyeth, Tara King, Richard Carey, Fidel Corona, Victor Gilmour, Nick Dimitri, Bob Minor, Angelo Lamonea, Patrick Burns, Karen Kleiman, Thomas Myers, Bill McConnell, Peter Jason, William Hasley, Allan Graf, Peter Paul Eastman, Raven Grey Eagle, Bob Harks, Orwin C. Harvey, Steve Moriarty, Nico Stevens, Leland Sun, Anna Young.

Recommended reading:

Driver

by Clyde B. Phillips.

Published by Hamlyn Paperbacks.

Published 1978.

ISBN 10: 0600329739

Description:

It was a ruthless game between professionals.

Driver – the getaway expert whose skill was deadly. They said no one would ever catch him.

Detective – the cop who would let nothing stop him … not even the law. He was out to nail the Driver.

Neither could afford to lose – so they had to break each other.

On this day in movie and book history - Aliens (1986)

Aliens

directed and written by James Cameron,

based on a story by James Cameron, David Giler and Walter Hill,

was released in the United States on July 18, 1986.

Music by James Horner.

Cast:

Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Jenette Goldstein, Al Matthews, Mark Rolston, Ricco Ross, Colette Hiller, Daniel Kash, Cynthia Dale Scott, Tip Tipping, Trevor Steedman, Paul Maxwell, Valerie Colgan, Alan Polonsky, Alibe Parsons, Blain Fairman, Barbara Coles, Carl Toop, John Lees, William Armstrong, Jay Benedict, Holly De Jong, Jill Goldston, Christopher Henn, Elizabeth Inglis, Mac McDonald, Stuart Milligan, Eddie Powell, Bob Sherman, Chris Webb, Tom Woodruff Jr.

Recommended reading:

Aliens

by Alan Dean Foster.

The Official Movie Novelization.

Published by Titan Books.

First published 1986.

ISBN-10: 178329017X

ISBN-13: 978-1783290178

Description:

In the sequel to the 1979 film Alien, Ellen Ripley is forced to return to planet LV-426, where her crew encountered the hostile Alien creature. There they discovered hundreds of eggs, and just one slaughtered everyone but Ripley. This time she's accompanied by a unit of Colonial Marines, but even their firepower may not be enough for them to survive and learn the fate of the colony known as Hadley's Hope.

Ripley is going back ... The sole survivor of the terror that struck her space comrades years ago, she now steels herself to help lead an expedition to the hell she once escaped. For on a planet far from earth, alien beings swarm, hungry for the human face, ready to make the human race their living nesting ground. Here waits the ultimate nightmare of Alien, hundreds of times stronger, more insidious, and practically invincible. Here Ripley must re-enter a world of sudden, unspeakable horror ... one that attacks without warning again and again and again.

On this day in movie and book history - Brewster’s Millions (1985)

Brewster’s Millions

directed by Walter Hill, 

written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod, 

based on the novel by George Barr McCutcheon, 

was released in the United States on May 22, 1985.

Cast:

Richard Pryor, John Candy, Lonette McKee, Stephen Collins, Jerry Orbach, Pat Hingle, Tovah Feldshuh, Hume Cronyn, Joe Grifasi, Peter Jason, David White, Jerome Dempsey, David Wohl, Ji-Tu Cumbuka, Milt Kogan, Carmine Caridi, Yakov Smirnoff, Rick Moranis, Gloria Charles, Yana Nirvana, Grand L. Bush, Conrad Janis, Rosetta LeNoire, Joseph Leon, Robert Ellenstein, Reni Santoni, Alan Autry, Joseph G. Medalis, Malachy McCourt, Roger Til, Allan Miller, Mike Hagerty, Kelly Yaegermann, Regina Hooks, Allan Graf, Archie Hahn, Jeffrey Mylett, Richard Hochberg, R.D. Call, Frank Slaten, Lin Shaye, Wesley Thompson, Strawn Bovee, Matt Landers, Kip Waldo, Shaka Cumbuka, Brad Sanders, Bill McConnell, Margot Rose, Joel Weiss, Candee Jennings, Bennie E. Dobbins, Gary Alexander, Joey Banks, Steven Benson, Mike Paciorek, Ken Medlock, Robbie T. Robinson, Ken Knighten, Hank Robinson, Art Reichle, Marina Anderson, Jack Couch, Ken DuMain, Ronald E. Giles, Bob Harks, Freeman Love, Naylon Mitchell, Danny Nero, Arnie Scheer.

Recommended reading:

Brewster’s Millions

by George Barr McCutcheon.

Filmed as Brewster’s Millions (1985), directed by Walter Hill.

Published by Loki's Publishing.
First published 1902.
Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1636004865
ISBN-13: 978-1636004860
 
Description:

With the passing of his beloved grandfather, Monty Brewster inherits a long-anticipated million dollars. But he suddenly discovers that he can inherit seven times as much from his eccentric uncle if he spends every cent of his grandfather's money within a year. The carefree prospect of running through a fortune in order to receive an even greater windfall turns into a comic burden because of his uncle's Monty must spend responsibly, showing good business sense, limiting his charitable contributions, and maintaining utter secrecy about the second inheritance.

Can Monty run through the million according to his uncle's terms? His friends are aghast at his madcap extravagance – the gambling, the risky investments, the lavish parties – and Monty's romance with a banker's daughter is imperiled by his seemingly reckless spending. This sprightly comedy, originally published in 1902, offers an atmospheric picture of New York City at the turn of the twentieth century and its intriguing premise has served as the source of ten movie adaptations.

On this day in movie history - The Long Riders (1980)

The Long Riders

directed by Walter Hill,

written by Bill Bryden, Steven Phillip Smith, Stacy Keach, James Keach, Walter Hill,

released at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 15, 1980.

Music by Ry Cooder.

Cast:

David Carradine, Keith Carradine, Robert Carradine, James Keach, Stacy Keach, Dennis Quaid, Randy Quaid, Kevin Brophy, Harry Carey Jr., Christopher Guest, Nicholas Guest, Shelby Leverington, Felice Orlandi, Pamela Reed, James Remar, Fran Ryan, Savannah Smith Boucher, Amy Stryker, James Whitmore Jr., John Bottoms, West Buchanan, Edward Bunker, Martina Deignan, Allan Graf, Chris Mulkey, Thomas Myers, Marlise Karlin / Pieratt, Glenn Robards, Tim Rossovich, Lin Shaye, Gary Watkins, Peter Jason, Duke Stroud, Steve Chambers, William Traylor, J. Don Ferguson, Hugh McGraw, Prentiss Rowe, Stuart Mossman, Michael Lackey, Mitch Greenhill, Bill Bryson, Tom Sauber, Jimmy Medearis, Edgar McLeod, Luis Contreras, Kalen Keach, R.B. Thrift, Ry Cooder, George D. Miklos, Bill Rampley, Bill Willens.

On this day in movie history - Extreme Prejudice (1987)

Extreme Prejudice

directed by Walter Hill,

written by Deric Washburn and Harry Kleiner,

based on a story by John Milius and Fred Rexer,

was released in the United States on April 24, 1987.

Music by Jerry Goldsmith.

Cast:

Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Michael Ironside, Maria Conchita Alonso, Rip Torn, Clancy Brown, William Forsythe, Matt Mulhern, Larry B. Scott, Dan Tullis Jr., John Dennis Johnston, Luis Contreras, Gary Carlos Cervantes, Tom Lister Jr., Marco Rodríguez, James Lashly, Tony Frank, Mickey Jones, Kent Lipham, Sam Gauny, Gil Reyes, Rick Garcia, Richard L. Duran, Larry Duran, Christina Garcia, Charles Lewis, Humberto De La Torre, Fred Eisenlohr, Anthony Galvan III, Erin Bowden, Frank Lugo, Jimmy Ortega, Lin Shaye, Anthony Lattanzio, Ken Medlock, Michelle Rosen, Allan Graf, Helen Kelly, Thomas Rosales Jr., Karly Rothenberg, Cole Volgenau.